Closure retaining means for containers



m 16, 1940. L, L YD 2,208,463

CLOSURE RETAINING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Filed NOV. 22, 1937 Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES CLOSURE RETAINING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Frank L. Lloyd, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application November 22, 1937, Serial No. 175,938

4 Claims. (Cl. 21590) The present invention relates to containers and means for securing covers thereon, the containers herein principally contemplated being in the forms of jars. An object of the invention is to provide an arrangement wherein the securing means, in the form of clips, are readily applicable in use and securely hold the cover on the jar while permitting it to lift to vent under excess internal pressure, the. clips when moved to release the cover being entirelyseparable from both the cover and the jar so that the latter may be eifectively cleaned. v Embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which: i

Figure 1 is a substantially axial section of a jar and cover showing a pair of clips according to the invention in elevation and in cover-securing position; s

Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial axial section of aim and cover showing a slightly modified form of jar finish and clip;

. Figure 4 is a partial axial view of a cover and jar similar to that of Figure 3 and showing a pair of clips according to the present invention strung on a retaining and positioning wire;

Figure 5 shows in perspective the cl'ps and wire of Figure 4, and f i Figure 6 is a partial axial section of a cover and jar showing a further modified form of clip in elevation. I I t Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral l designates a container in the form of a jar which may be of glass and of substantially cylindrical form as shown. At its mouth the inner walls of the container are somewhat outwardly flared at H up to the lip I2 which may have. annular .ribs formed therein as shown. The upper extremity of the jar has an outer an nular enlargement-'Ilwhich provides a downwardly faced shoulder I4 which may be somewhat undercut'as shown.

The cover l has a marginal portion [6, annularly ribbed, if desired, adapted to overlie the lip I2. Inwardly of the margin IS the cover is downwardly offset to provide a depressed central portion H which fits easily within the flared portion ll of the jar to center the cover. At its outer edge the cover is provided with a relatively thin upstanding annular rib l'la. Inwardly of rib 110. are flat annular seating surfaces l'lb which may be bounded circumferentially by lugs llc.

Each clip l8 consists of a strip of relatively heavy springy, but deformable, metal, bent to provide the two angularly related portions l9 and 20, and as shown, these portions are about atright angles to each other. The extremityof portion I9 is bent inwardly to provide a hook 2| 5 enga-geable under shoulder M. The portion has a bent-under portion 22 which extends'into proximity to portion l9, and, it and the superjacent portion may be slightly bent as at 23 and 24, these portions normally being in about parallel m relation. M f p To apply a clip, the free end of its portion 22, which is of a width to be receivable between a set of lugs Ilc is placed on a seat Nb and then the remainder of the clip isv depressed and swung to bring, hook 2| under shoulder l4,.portion l9 thus being placed under considerable'tension so that a gasket 25 is suitably compressed. Preferably, both clipsaresimultaJneously applied.

It will be seen that the extremities of clip portions 22 lie behind rib Ila which serves as a positive stop for them, and since the hooked ends 2| are engaged with the undercut shoulder I4, the cover is .held securely in place and theclips are not apt tobe accidentally dislodged even when 25 the cover lifts to relieve internal pressure. When it is desired to remove the clips, it is onlynecessary to engage the bent free end portions of the substantially horizontally extending clip portions 20 and lift them upwardly and outwardly, pora0 tions '22 flexing toward the superjacent clip portions as they slide upwardly, and over rib I'la, there being a pivoting action about, the hooked portions 2! until release is effected. I

Since the clips are entirely separable from the container. and the cover, all of the parts may be readily and effectively cleaned. 1

According to Figure 3 the shoulder 26 of the jar is in a plane substantially normal tothe jar axis. The. portion 21 of the clip has its intermediate portion 28 slightly bent outwardly so as to make sure that any outward expansion of the gasket 29 will be amply accommodated. Further, the bent-under portion 30 of the clip is prolil .vided with an intermediate bend 3l toward the superjacent clip portion.

According to Figures 4 and 5 the clips 32 are strung on a continuous wire 33 and are provided with bends 34 such that the engaged portions of the wire will be retained. The main portion of the wire is downwardly offset to lie closely adjacent the top of the cover, this conformation serving also to position the clips exactly opposite each other, as will be evident.

A greater number than two clips may be provided for each jar, and where a wire, such as at 33, is utilized, it may be correspondingly bent to position the clips equidistantly. On the other hand, a purely circular wire may be used and the clips freely strung thereon.

The clip 35 of Figure 6 is the same as that of Figure 3, except that the hooked end 36 is continued into a bent-out tail- 31 which may be gripped so that the hook may be pulled outwardly from under shoulder 38 to release the clip.

It will be understood that various modifications in detail may be made from the disclosure herein without departure from the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container in the form of a jar, said container having an external downwardly faced shoulder, and a cover [or the mouth of the container having a marginal por tion overlying the container lip, of means for securing the cover on the container, said means comprising a plurality of clips each of which comprises a strip of springy metal bent transversely to form two portions in angular relation to each other, one of said portions having an inwardly bent end portion engageable under said shoulder, the other of said portions in the operative position of the clip extending above and substantially horizontally over the v cover margin and having a bent-under portion extending to a point adjacent said one of said portions with its free end engaged with the cover margin adjacent the edge of the latter, said bent-under portion being of a length to enable it to flex freely relative tothe overlying portion when its free end is engaged with the cover margin, the cover having a top annular rib at itsouter edge immediately inwardly of which the extremities of thebent-under portions of the clips lie when applied, said rib serving as, a positive stop for said extremities to prevent their accidental dislodgement from the cover margin, the clips being entirely separable from the container and cover when moved to permit removalof the cover.

2. The combination with acontainer in the form of a jar, said container having an external downwardly faced shoulder and a cover for the In'outh of the container having a marginal portion overlying the container lip, of means for securing the cover on the container, said means comprising a plurality of clips each of which comprises a strip of springy metal bent transversely to form two portions in angular relation to each other, one of said portions having an inwardly bent end portion engageable undersaid shoulder, the other of said portions in the operative position of the clip extending above and substantially horizontally over the cover margin and having a bent-under portion extending toa point adjacent said one of ,said portions vwit hits free end engaged with the cover margin adjacent the edge of the latter, said bent-under portion being of a length to enable it to fiex freely relative to the overlying portion whenits free end is en g'aged with the cover mar-gin, the clips being entirely separable from the container and cover when moved to permit removal of the cover, and a wire received in the bends of the clips between their bent-under portions and the superjacent portions, the bends being formed so as to retain the wire.

, 3. The combination with a container in the form of a jar, said container having an external downwardly faced shoulder, and a cover for the a 'mouth of the container having a marginal portion overlying the container lip, of means for securing the cover on the container, said means comprising a plurality of clips each of which comprises a strip of springy metal bent transversely to form two portions in angular relation to each other, one of said portions having an inwardly bent end portion engageable under said shoulder, the other of said portions in the operative position of the clip extending above and substantially horizontally over the cover margin and having a bent-under portion extending to a point adjacent said one of said portions with its free end engaged with the cover margin adjacent the edge of the latter, said bent-under portion being of a length to enable it to flex freely relative to the overlying portion when its free end is engaged with the cover margin, the clips being entirely separable from the cointainer and cover when moved to permit removal of the cover, and a wire received in the bends of the clips between their bent-under portions and the superjacent portions, the bends being so formed as to retain the wire and the wire being offset so as to position the clips on the wire.

4. The combination with a container in the form of a jar, said container having an external downwardly faced shoulder, and a cover for the mouth of the container having a marginal portion overlying the container lip, of means for securing the cover on the container, said means comprising a plurality of clips each of which comprises a strip of springy metal bent transversely to form two portions in angular relation to each other, one of said portions having an inwardly bent end portion engageable under said shoulder, the other of said portions in the operative position of the clip extending above and substantially horizontally over the cover margin and having a bent-under portion extending to a point adjacent saidone of said portions with its free end engaged with the cover margin adjacent the edge of the latter, said bent-under portion being of a length to enable it to flex freely relative to the overlying portion when its free end is engaged with the cover margin, the clips being entirely separable from the container and cover when moved to permit removal of the cover, and a wire received in the bends of the clips between their bentunder portions and the superjacent portions, the bends being so formed as to'retain the wire, the wire being offset so as to position the clips thereon and so as to lie closely adjacent the cover except where engaged in said bends,

FRANK L. LLOYD. 

